It's no secret that most individuals love to consume as many Girl Scout cookies as they can. This cookie season was somewhat different for Girl Scouts due to the COVID-19 pandemic, especially for the members of the Girl Scouts-Dakota Horizons Council.

In an effort to protect the girls and keep as well as to ensure all the troops are following CDC social distancing guidelines, Girl Scouts-Dakota Horizons canceled their cookie booths and door-to-door sales during its final sales weeks. However, the troops from Girl Scouts-Dakota Horizons utilized their technology skills and took their sales online and created a digital storefront called "Digitial Cookie." When cookie sales closed on March 31st, Girl Scout troops around the Sioux Empire wanted to make sure their remaining cookie inventory did not go to waste.

The Girl Scouts-Dakota Horizons unanimously decided to donate 60,000 packages of Girl Scout Cookies within several communities to healthcare workers, first responders, trucking companies, school administrators, and others who are on the frontlines battling the COVID-19 virus. A recent press release from the Girl Scouts-Dakota Horizons' Board President, Jennifer Baloun explains, "Giving back to our communities is at the heart of who we are as Girl Scouts so it felt natural to use the cookies to support those on the front line of the pandemic.”

The Girl Scouts' mission statement states: "Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place." Giving cookies away may not seem like much, but the girls felt it was the least they could do to put smiles on the faces of the frontline workers as well as acknowledge their efforts.

Visit Girl Scouts-Dakota Horizons to learn about the community service girls' troops across the Sioux Empire are continuing to provide during the COVID-19 pandemic.